Solomon, a shepherd from the Tigray region of Ethiopia, is a strong believer in the power of education.

The father-of-five didn’t get the chance to go to school himself, but he does not want his own children to miss out. He would like them all to complete their education and enjoy a better quality of life.

His three oldest children are now at secondary school. The youngest two attend Beliga Primary School, one of three schools in Tigray that recently began serving Mary’s Meals.

Solomon, who is the proud chair of the school’s parent teacher association, thinks the promise of a daily meal will encourage other parents to send their children to school.

He believes that education is crucially important and will help pave the way towards a brighter future for his children, his wider community and for Ethiopia as a whole.

“Our children lead us because they are educated,” he says. “If my generation had been educated better, the conflicts would not have happened and many people would not have lost their lives.”

Solomon’s youngest son, Negasi, tells us that he enjoys coming to school because he likes his teachers and can play football with his friends at break time.

In Ethiopia, Mary’s Meals is working alongside The Daughters of Charity Tigray and community volunteers, many of them proud parents like Solomon, to bring nutritious daily meals to the children of Beliga Primary School.

Negasi and his classmates are now served Mary’s Meals every school day. It fills them with energy, helping them to concentrate during lessons, improve their grades and take full advantage of playtime.